BRICS to work together and decisively against terror, says Modi

Benaulim (Goa), Oct 16 (IANS) The need to comprehensively act on terrorism figured majorly in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s concluding media address at the BRICS Summit on Saturday, and he emphasised the grouping has agreed to work together and decisively against the threat.

The BRICS countries also adopted the Goa Declaration, which Modi said, would lay down a comprehensive vision for cooperation and coordination within BRICS and on international issues.

“We were unanimous in recognising the threat that terrorism, extremism and radicalisation presents, not just to the regional and global peace, stability and economic prosperity. But, also to our society, our way of life and humanity as a whole,” Modi said.

“We were also one in agreeing that BRICS need to work together and act decisively to combat this threat,” Modi added in the presence of the four other BRICS leaders.

“We underscored the need for close coordination on tracking sources of terrorist financing; and targeting the hardware of terrorism, including weapons’ supplies, ammunition, equipment, and training. We also agreed that those who nurture, shelter, support and sponsor such forces of violence and terror are as much a threat to us as the terrorists themselves,” he said.

There was “unity of thought and purpose on this serious global challenge”, he added.

Modi also said that the discussions with the other leaders were “detailed, substantive and productive” on key issues like the global economic scenario and the need to reform the global governance architecture, apart from terrorism.

The Prime Minister said that putting the global economy back on track was also a focus point of the leaders’ deliberations, which also acknowledged the positive contribution of BRICS countries to global economic growth after the 2008 financial crisis.

“We feel that it is necessary for economies to make public investments in long term infrastructure projects, coordinate macro-economic policy, drive growth, and promote world trade and manufacturing with renewed vigour,” he said.

He added that the BRICS leaders emphasised the central role for the World Trade Organisation (WTO) as the cornerstone of the multilateral trade architecture and also acknowledged the need to strike a balance between economic development and environmental protection.

The Prime Minister said that the leaders were united in their view to establish the BRICS Agriculture Research Platform, BRICS Railway Research Network, BRICS Sports Council, and various youth-centric activities.

“We spoke in one voice of our resolve to promote the reform of the global financial and economic architecture, and expand the role of emerging and developing economies in the International Monetary Fund.”

“In order to further bridge the gap in the global financial architecture, we agreed to fast-track the setting up of a BRICS Rating Agency,” Modi said, adding that the leader had also agreed to enhance our co-ordination within the G-20.